Prevalence of current chronic pain in Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets

Background Nearly half of active duty Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers report experiencing current chronic pain (43%; i.e. pain lasting longer than 3 months). Most RCMP officers who report chronic pain indicate that the pain started after working as RCMP officers (91%). Baseline data on...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Robyn E. Shields, Taylor A. Teckchandani, Katie L. Andrews, Billea Ahlgrim, Danielle M. Caissie, Chet C. Hembroff, Jolan Nisbet, Gordon J. G. Asmundson, Gregory P. Krätzig, R. Nicholas Carleton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Canadian Journal of Pain
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/24740527.2024.2354394
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850115586698248192
author Robyn E. Shields
Taylor A. Teckchandani
Katie L. Andrews
Billea Ahlgrim
Danielle M. Caissie
Chet C. Hembroff
Jolan Nisbet
Gordon J. G. Asmundson
Gregory P. Krätzig
R. Nicholas Carleton
author_facet Robyn E. Shields
Taylor A. Teckchandani
Katie L. Andrews
Billea Ahlgrim
Danielle M. Caissie
Chet C. Hembroff
Jolan Nisbet
Gordon J. G. Asmundson
Gregory P. Krätzig
R. Nicholas Carleton
author_sort Robyn E. Shields
collection DOAJ
description Background Nearly half of active duty Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers report experiencing current chronic pain (43%; i.e. pain lasting longer than 3 months). Most RCMP officers who report chronic pain indicate that the pain started after working as RCMP officers (91%). Baseline data on chronic pain prevalence among RCMP cadets has not been available.Aims The current study was designed to provide cross-sectional estimates of chronic pain prevalence among RCMP cadets starting the Cadet Training Program and to assess for sociodemographic differences among participants.Methods The RCMP Study uses a longitudinal prospective sequential experimental cohort design to create a clustered randomized trial that engages individual participants for 5.5 years. The current article provides cross-sectional associations between chronic pain prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics. Participants were RCMP cadets starting the Cadet Training Program (n = 770). Location, intensity (on a 0–10 scale and days per week experienced), and duration (number of months) of chronic pain were reported. Differences across sociodemographic characteristics were examined.Results Few RCMP cadets reported experiencing chronic pain (10%); lower back pain was rated as the most severe in terms of intensity and duration and second most frequently reported in number of days experienced per week. Prevalence of chronic pain was lower among RCMP cadets than among RCMP officers.Conclusions Chronic pain prevalence among active duty RCMP officers may result from or be moderated by operational duties, as well as routine aging. Future researchers could examine ways to mitigate chronic pain development during RCMP officer careers.
format Article
id doaj-art-baa70ab8eea243568c34f4be25a5e4ca
institution OA Journals
issn 2474-0527
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
record_format Article
series Canadian Journal of Pain
spelling doaj-art-baa70ab8eea243568c34f4be25a5e4ca2025-08-20T02:36:31ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCanadian Journal of Pain2474-05272024-12-018110.1080/24740527.2024.2354394Prevalence of current chronic pain in Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadetsRobyn E. Shields0Taylor A. Teckchandani1Katie L. Andrews2Billea Ahlgrim3Danielle M. Caissie4Chet C. Hembroff5Jolan Nisbet6Gordon J. G. Asmundson7Gregory P. Krätzig8R. Nicholas Carleton9Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment–Institut Canadien de recherché et de traitement en sécurité publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), Regina, Saskatchewan, CanadaCanadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment–Institut Canadien de recherché et de traitement en sécurité publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), Regina, Saskatchewan, CanadaCanadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment–Institut Canadien de recherché et de traitement en sécurité publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), Regina, Saskatchewan, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, CanadaCanadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment–Institut Canadien de recherché et de traitement en sécurité publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), Regina, Saskatchewan, CanadaAnxiety and Illness Behaviours Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, CanadaCanadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment–Institut Canadien de recherché et de traitement en sécurité publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), Regina, Saskatchewan, CanadaBackground Nearly half of active duty Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers report experiencing current chronic pain (43%; i.e. pain lasting longer than 3 months). Most RCMP officers who report chronic pain indicate that the pain started after working as RCMP officers (91%). Baseline data on chronic pain prevalence among RCMP cadets has not been available.Aims The current study was designed to provide cross-sectional estimates of chronic pain prevalence among RCMP cadets starting the Cadet Training Program and to assess for sociodemographic differences among participants.Methods The RCMP Study uses a longitudinal prospective sequential experimental cohort design to create a clustered randomized trial that engages individual participants for 5.5 years. The current article provides cross-sectional associations between chronic pain prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics. Participants were RCMP cadets starting the Cadet Training Program (n = 770). Location, intensity (on a 0–10 scale and days per week experienced), and duration (number of months) of chronic pain were reported. Differences across sociodemographic characteristics were examined.Results Few RCMP cadets reported experiencing chronic pain (10%); lower back pain was rated as the most severe in terms of intensity and duration and second most frequently reported in number of days experienced per week. Prevalence of chronic pain was lower among RCMP cadets than among RCMP officers.Conclusions Chronic pain prevalence among active duty RCMP officers may result from or be moderated by operational duties, as well as routine aging. Future researchers could examine ways to mitigate chronic pain development during RCMP officer careers.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/24740527.2024.2354394Chronic painRCMP cadetsRCMP officerslow back painprevalence
spellingShingle Robyn E. Shields
Taylor A. Teckchandani
Katie L. Andrews
Billea Ahlgrim
Danielle M. Caissie
Chet C. Hembroff
Jolan Nisbet
Gordon J. G. Asmundson
Gregory P. Krätzig
R. Nicholas Carleton
Prevalence of current chronic pain in Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets
Canadian Journal of Pain
Chronic pain
RCMP cadets
RCMP officers
low back pain
prevalence
title Prevalence of current chronic pain in Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets
title_full Prevalence of current chronic pain in Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets
title_fullStr Prevalence of current chronic pain in Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence of current chronic pain in Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets
title_short Prevalence of current chronic pain in Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets
title_sort prevalence of current chronic pain in royal canadian mounted police cadets
topic Chronic pain
RCMP cadets
RCMP officers
low back pain
prevalence
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/24740527.2024.2354394
work_keys_str_mv AT robyneshields prevalenceofcurrentchronicpaininroyalcanadianmountedpolicecadets
AT taylorateckchandani prevalenceofcurrentchronicpaininroyalcanadianmountedpolicecadets
AT katielandrews prevalenceofcurrentchronicpaininroyalcanadianmountedpolicecadets
AT billeaahlgrim prevalenceofcurrentchronicpaininroyalcanadianmountedpolicecadets
AT daniellemcaissie prevalenceofcurrentchronicpaininroyalcanadianmountedpolicecadets
AT chetchembroff prevalenceofcurrentchronicpaininroyalcanadianmountedpolicecadets
AT jolannisbet prevalenceofcurrentchronicpaininroyalcanadianmountedpolicecadets
AT gordonjgasmundson prevalenceofcurrentchronicpaininroyalcanadianmountedpolicecadets
AT gregorypkratzig prevalenceofcurrentchronicpaininroyalcanadianmountedpolicecadets
AT rnicholascarleton prevalenceofcurrentchronicpaininroyalcanadianmountedpolicecadets